Article forming apparatus



Sept. 12, 1944. E. L. MALHIOT ARTICLE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l M/I [IVTOR E LMALH/QT nd/" Sept. 12, 1944.

E. L. MALHIOT 2,357,902

ARTICLE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTOR/Vf Sept. 12, 1944. E. MALHlOT ARTICLE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 //V Vf 1V TOR 5 L MAL/#07 M4-7 M A TTOR/Vf a or articles.

UNITED STATES PATIENT. OFFICE Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 29, 1942, Serial No. 456,656

6 Claims. This invention relates to article forming apparatus and more particularly to a wire trimming apparatus for wired articles.

In the manufacture of wired apparatus, for example, telephone'exchange equipment, it is frequently desirable to form sub-assemblies of embodying the present invention, parts being broken away to show more clearly portions of the parts wired together for later assembly with other pieces of apparatus and automatic machines have been designed for forming these wired assemblies However, in most of these machines, it has proven uneconomical to trim the ends of the wires closest to the terminals to which the wires are attached, but has proven more satisfactory to leave relatively long ends extending from the terminals so thatit is necessary to trim the end in a later operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective apparatus for forming articles such as wired sub-assemblies.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention as applied to telephone step-by-step wired assemblies, an apparatus has been provided for trimming the free ends of wires which have .been previously attached to terminals by cutting off a group of wires simultaneously, utilizing a portion of each terminal as an anvil toward which a cutting tool is pressed to trim the wire ends from the assemblies. In the apparatus, a wired assembly is suitably positioned beneath a movable guard and the guard is then moved downwardly to initiate operation of an electrical circuit after the guard is in position surrounding a substantial portion of the article. When the guard reaches the P sition where it encloses the article, the electrical circuit becomes efiective to cause a piston to be reciprocated and the guard is latched in place mechanically while the piston reciprocates to carry a shearing head downwardly and upwardly. As the shearing head moves downwardly, a latch thereon is tripped to position to become effective to release the guard and permit it to return to normal inoperative position after the head starts up. In addition to this feature, various safety devices re provided in the apparatus whereby the pisto will be rendered inefiective-to move the shearing head downwardly until the guard is in place surrounding the article to be sheared and the shearing head is provided with a plurality of cutting members staggered to cut the various wires which are attached to terminals arranged in staggered formation.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by reference to the accompanying drawings,

wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus apparatus located behind them;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. l in the .and the means ior preventingmomplete operation,

of the shearing mechanism until the guard member is in guarding position; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows showing a step-by-step wired assembly in position in the apparatus to havethe free ends of its wires trimmed adjacent the terminals thereof;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the under side of the shearing head looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 61s a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 66 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows showing the staggered relation of the cutting members in their inoperative position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing the cutting members in their operative position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the latching means for holding the guard member in its downward position during the shearing operation taken along the line 88 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 10 is a circuit schematic showing the control circuit for the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate the same parts throughout the several views, particular reference being had to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus is designed to be mounted upon a bench or table l5, which is cut out to receive a main support member l6 on which substantially. all of the apparatus except the pivot support for the guard is mounted. 'The main support member it comprises a plate portion II, which extends outwardly beyond the body of the main support member to provide flanges whereby the main support memher it may be secured to the bench or table l5 by means of bolts It. In addition to the plate II, the main support member l6 includes bearing bosses l9l9,,which extend above and below the plate portion 51 and slidable support actuator rods 28-28. 'The actuator rods 28 are provided with reduced portions 2I-2I, which extend through a cross head 22 and are threaded on their lower ends to receive lock nut assemblies 23. Thus,,fthe'cross head 22 is fixed to the actuator rods 28 and is movable with them to either raise or lower them. 8

Attached to the middle of the cross head 22, by means of a screw 24, is a piston rod 25, carrying a piston 28 on its lower end for movement in a -cylinder 21. The cylinder 21 is suspended from the under side of the main support member I8 by a box-like support bracket comprised of plates 28 and 28 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the portion I1 of the main support member I8 and extending downwardly therefrom to a cylinder supporting plate 38, which is suitably secured to the lower ends of the plates 28 and 28. A reduced portion 3| of the cylinder extends up into an aperture 32 in the cylinder supporting plate 38 and is attached thereto by means of a set screw 33. The cylinder 21 may have fluid supplied to or exhausted therefrom through pipe connections 34 and 35 connected adjacent the lower and upper ends of the cylinder, respectively.

At its left and right sides (Fig. 2) the cross head 22 is provided with cam surfaces 48 and H having cooperating therewith latch members 42 and 43, which are normally urged to the position shown in Fig. 2 by springs 44 and 45, respectively, which are coiled around pivot pins 48 and 41, suitably supported from the under side of the portion I1 of main support member I8. These latch members 42 and 43 will prevent the cross head 22 from moving downwardly until the latch members are rocked clockwise. and counterclockwise, respectively, by push rods 48 and 48, respectively, associated with them. The push rods 48 and 48 are slidable in the main support member I6 and are adapted to be actuated by pins 58 and respectively, mounted upon opposite sides of a. guard member 52. The guard member 52 is an inverted box-like structure provided with front and rear windows 53 and 54, respectively, and is carried upon a pair of levers 55 and 58 fixed to a rock shaft 51 which extends across the guard member and is rotatable in a pair of mounting lugs 58 and 58, respectively, suitably secured to the bench or table I5- Adjacent the left end (Fig. 2) of the rock shaft 51, there is suitably secured thereto a lever 88, which is normally urged up against a stop member 8| by a contractile spring 82 attached to the lower end of the lever 88 and to a hook 84 fixed to the portion l1 of the main support member I8. Thus, the guard 52 is normally held in its upper inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 1, by the spring 82, being limited in its movement by engagement of the lever 88 with stop member 8|. The lever 88 is provided with an adjustable thumb nut 83, adapted to engage an actuator spring 85 of a switch 58 to actuate the switch 58 when the guard member is moved to its lowermost position, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Mounted inside the guard member 52 and fixed to the left wall thereof (Fig. 2) is a support block 15, into which is threaded a pivot screw 18 (Figs. 8 and 9). The pivot screw 18 pivotally supports a latching lever 11 provided with a latching shoulder 1 8 and cam faces 18, 88 and 8| (Figs. 1, 8 and 9) A leaf spring 82, fixed to the side of the guard member 52, normally urges the lever 11 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 8. When the guard member 52 is moved down against the action of the spring 82, the cam face 88 will strike against a cam face 83 on a trip lever 84 and the lever 11 will be rocked a short distance counter-clockwise (Figs. 1 and 8) to permit the lever 11 to move past the trip lever 84. As the guard member 52 is moved down to its lowermost position, the jcam face 8I thereon will engage a locking bracket and the lever 11 will be again cammed to rock in a counter-clockwise direction to permit the shoulder 18 thereon to move into position to engage in an aperture 88 formedin the lockin bracket 85. As soon as the cam face 8I moves to the position shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the shoulder 18 will engage in the aperture 86, thereby to hold the guard member in its lowermost position. The lever 84 is pivoted at 81 on a cross head 88, which is, in turn, mounted upon the upper ends of the actuator rods 20, being fixed to the actuator rods for movement therewith.

When the actuator rods 28 are drawn downwardly flueto the admission of fluid under pressure to the upper end of the cylinder 21, they will carry the cross head 88 downwardly with them and when the cross head 88 moves downwardly, a camming surface 88 on the trip lever 84 will engage with the cam faces 18 on the lever 11 and the lever 84'(now in its lowermost position) will be rocked counter-clockwise about its pivot point at 81. After the cross head 88 has moved downwardly to complete its cycle of operation, the weight of the lever 84 will cause it to move u der the cam face 88 on the lever 11 so that whenithe actuator rods 28 are moved upwardly to carry the cross head 88 with them, the lever 85, in moving upwardly, will cam the lever 11 counter-clockwise to release the shoulder 18 from the wall of the aperture 88, thereby to release the guard member 52 and permit the spring 82 to rock it to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Each of the actuator rods 28is provided with a knurled collar 83, threaded onto it for limiting the downward movement of the actuator rods 28 and, consequently, the collars 83 will limit the amount of downward movement of the cross head 88. Cooperating with each of the knurled collars 83 are knurled lock nuts 94, which, .like the collars 83, are provided with sockets for receiving a spanner wrench whereby they may be suitably locked together. When the piston 28 moves downwardly to carry the cross head with it, the length of the stroke thereof will be limited by the collars 83, striking the bearing bosses I8. Thus, the amount of travel of the cross head 88 may be micrometrically adjusted.

Secured to the under side of the cross head 88 are a pair of knife supporting plates 85 and 88, which, as most clearly shown in Fig. 6, have apertures 81-81 and 88-88 formed in them for receiving wire cutting knives 88--88 and l88--I 88. The plate 88 is also provided with a series of apertures l8I--I8I' in alignment with the apertures 81 in the plate 85, whereby the wire cutting knives 88 extend through the plate 88. The wire cutting knives 88 and I88 are all of substantially the same construction except that the knives 88 are long enough to extend through the plate 88 and to extend into the position shown in Fig. 6. Each of the wire cutting knives is provided with upset heads I82, which rest against cooperating tapered shoulders I83 formed in the plates I85 and I88.

' The plates 85 and 88 are held on the cross head 88 by means of screws I84I84, which extend through both of the plates 85 and 88 and through a spacer I85 interposed between the plate 85 and the cross head 83 and through a spacer I06 interposed between the plates 95 and 96.

It will be noted, by reference to Fig. 6, that the lower cutting ends of the knives 99 and I are.

staggered. This construction is provided in'order to trim wires placed at difierent levels and attached to terminals which are disposed at different levels in the sub-assembly being trimmed by the apparatus. In sharpening or forming the knives, the spacer I06 is removed from the assembly and the plates 95 and 96 are positioned in abutting relation while the knife edges at the bottom ends of the knives are formed or sharpened so that this sharpening operation will cut all of the knife edges along exactly the same line and then when the apparatus is assembled for use,

the spacer I06 is replaced in the assembly, thereby providing the proper displacement of the knives to correspond with article backing portions H0 and III on an anvil II2, which is designed to support the step-by-step sub-assembly.

The step-by-step sub-assembly, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, and which is to have wire ends trimmed from it, comprises three arcuately shaped insulators H3, H4 and H5, to which terminals H6 have been suitably attached. The terminals I I6 are placed on the inner surfaces of the insulators I I3 and I I5 and are separated from each other by the insulator H4, which is loosely mounted between them. Thus, the terminals I I6 on the insulator H3 will be spaced from the terminals H6 on the insulator H5 by the thickness of the insulator H4. Accordingly, the anvil H2 has its article backing portions H0 and III at different levels and it is the purpose of the present apparatus to shear the ends H1 of the wires H8 at the line II9, which is to the left (Fig. 4)

,oflthe place where the terminals H6 grip the Wires- H8. This operation is performed by cutting the wires against the terminal and thus the travel of the cross head 88, which actuates the knives 99 and I00, must be accurately regulated by means of the threaded collars 93 and the knives must have their shearing edges staggered to correspond with the location of the terminals.

The cross head 88 has mounted thereon a pair of article gripping sleeves I and I2I (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) which are provided, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, with an annular shoulder I22, which rests upon a cooperating shoulder I23 formed in the plate 96. The sleeves I2I and I22 are of exactly the same construction and are each slidably mounted in apertures I24 and I25 in the plate 96, being urged downwardly by are sheared from the body of the wires compression springs I21, which bear against the spacer I05 and nest in sockets I21 formed in each of the sleeves I20 and I2I. The sleeves I20 and'I2I are each provided with a central bore I28, which is adapted to receive a locating pin I29 or I30, which are fixed in a bolster plate I3I mounted upon th main support member I6 and supporting the anvil H2. The pins I29 and I30 extend up through apertures I32 and I33, formed in the anvil Il2 and are surrounded by a coiled compression spring I34 which rests on the bolster I plate BI and has its upper end bearing against a shoulder I35 formed internally of a locating sleeve I36. Each of the sleeves I36 is provided with an annular shoulder I31, which engages with a shoulder I38 formed in the apertures I32 and I33 to prevent movement of the sleeve I36 upwardly beyond the position shown in Fig. 3; Thus, when the sub-assembly to be trimmed is by placing it in such a manner in the apparatus that aligned apertures I31 and I30 in the insulators H3, H4 and III will receive the pins I29 and I80. Then, when theguard member 52 ll rocked downwardly, the sub-assembly will be held loosely on the pins I29 and III until the sleeves I20 and I 2| engage with the upper surface ofjthe insulator H3, whereupon the pins I29 and I80 will enter the central bore I26 in the sleeves I20 and I2I and the article will be clamped between the resilient sleeves I20, I2I and I36, which will clamp the sub-assembly in position prior to the engagement of the wires H8 bytheknives 99 and I00.

A dischargechute I40 is provided for receiving the ends II! of the wires II8 when the ends charge them from the apparatus.

Fixed to the cross head 88 is a switch actuating plunger I4I (Figs. 1, 2 and 4), which, when the cross head 88 approaches the end of its downward stroke, will engage the actuator spring I42 of a highly sensitive electrical switch I43 to operate this switch. In addition to the switch I43, which is actuated when the cross head 88 reaches its lowermost position, there is a switch I44 provided which carries a roller I45 on its actuator spring I46 in the path of movement of the cross head 22. This switch I44 will be held in the position shown in Fig. 10 when the cross head 22 is in its upper position, the switch assuming the position shown just before the cross head 22 reaches. its uppermost position on its travel upward. The purpose of these switches will be described more clearly in connection with the following description of the mode of operation of the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. .10, it will be seen that the pipe connections 34 and 35 extend to a reversing valve I41 to which fluid under pressure may be supplied through a pipe connection I48 and from which the spent fluid may be passed from a pipe connection I49, suitable ports being provided in the valve for interconnectin either the pipe connection 34 or the pipe connection 35 with the pipe connections I48 or I49 when the valve is operated. The valve is adapted for operation by a solenoid I50 having coils I5I and I52. The circuit, as shown in Fig. 10, illustrates the condition of the apparatus when the guard member 52 is in its uppermost position preparatory to initiating a trimming operation of the apparatus. With the apparatus in this condition, an article to have the wire ends II1 trimmed from it may be placed upon the locating pins I29 and I30 and the guard member 52 may then be moved downwardly. As soon as the guard member 52 reaches its lowermost position, the thumb screw 63 will strike actuator'spring 65 to shift switch 66 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 10 into engagement with its lower contact. Ifa switch I53 has been closed to connect the 110 inserted in the apparatus, it may be positioned 76 volt source I54 in the circuit, the reversal of switch 66 frcm'the position shown will connect the side I55 of th now energized volt circult through switch I43 in the position shown, switch 66 in the dotted line position to energize the coil I52.

When coil I52 is energized, the reversing valve end of cylinder 21 and the cross head 88 will be drawn downwardly through the action of the to disactuator rods 20 and cross head 22.. The cross head 22' will be permitted to move downwardly as soon as the push rods 48 and 49 have rocked the latch. members and 43 out of the path 01 thc'cross head 22. fore the guard member 52 reaches its lowermost position, and when the guard member reaches its lowermost position, the lever 11 will have its shoulder I8 engagedin the aperture 86 of the locking bracket 85 and thus the guard member .52 will be held in its lower position until the cross heads 22 and 88 have moved downwardly to cause the wire cutting knives 99 and I to cut through the wires I I8 and have started back up. The knives 99 and I00, however, will not engage the terminals IIB since the collar 93 and lock nut 94 will have been adjusted so that they will only permit the cross head 88 to travel down a distance such that it will carry the knives substantially all the way through the wire ends, but will not engage the terminals II6. When the cross head 22 carries the cross head 88 to its lowermost position, the plunger I4I will engage and actuate the actuator spring I42 of switch I43 to connect the side I55 of the 110 volt line to the coil I5I. Since switch I44 shifted from its full line to its dotted line position as soon as the cross head 22 moved out of engage ment with the roller I45, the reversal of switch I43 from position shownin Fig. to its dotted line position will cause the energization of the coil I5I to switch the valve I41 to the position shown in Fig. 10 and fluid under pressure will then be admitted through pipe connection 48, valve I41 and pipe connection 34 to the lower end of cylinder 21 to force the piston 28 upwardly, the fluid under pressure being exhausted from the upper end of the cylinder through pipe connection 35, valve I41 and pipe connection I49. In this manner, the apparatus will be restored to normal position and the switches I43, I44 and 66 will assume their solid line positions preparatory to the next movement of the guard member 52 downwardly. As the cross head 88 moved upwardly, it carried the trip lever 84 with it and the lever 84, in moving upwardly with the cross head, will engage its cam surface 83 with cam face 80 of the lever 11 to rock the lever TI counter-clockwise (Figs. 1 and 8), thereby to release the guard member 52 and permit the spring 62 to return it to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the guard member 52 moves upwardly, switch 66 assumes the full line position, as shown in Fig. 10, and, therefore, when the plunger I4I moves out of engagement with the switch actuating spring I42, the circuit to the coil I5I will be shifted from control of the switch I43 in its dotted position to the switch I43 in its full position and through the switch 66 in its full line position.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for trimming w'ire ends from terminals of wired articles, wire cutting knives, a guard member movable to enclose a substantial portion of an article and said knives, means for locking the guard member in enclosing position, means operated by the guard member for initiating operation of the knives, a reciprocable head for supporting said knives, means controlled by the means operated by the guard member for supplying fluid pressure to actuate the head, and means releasable by the guard member for normally holding the head against actuation by the fluid under pressure, said last mentioned means comprising spring pressed This action occurs just be-' latches and plungers actuated by the guard member for moving the latches to inoperative position. 1 Y

2. In an apparatus for trimming wire ends from the terminals of wired articles, locating pins for locating the article in the apparatus,

knives f or trimming the wire ends, fluid actuated means for moving the knives toward the terminals to cut the wires against the terminals, and means for limiting the movement of said knives to prevent them from cutting the terminals, including micrometrically adjustable collars fixed to said fluid actuated means, and fixed abutments for engagement by said 16011313 to block movement of said fluid actuated means in apr'edetermined position.

4. In an article forming apparatus, a reciprocable cross head, a fixed anvil cooperating with said cross head, means on said anvil for supporting an article in a predetermined position, a pair of knife holding plates mounted on said cross head, a plurality of knives mounted on one of said knife holding plates, a plurality of knives mounted on the other plate and extending through said one plate, and a spacer between said knife holding plates to hold the plates spaced a predetermined distance apart and thereby determine the relative amount the knives extend beyond the said one plate.

5. In an article forming apparatus, a reciprocable cross head, a fixed anvil cooperating with said cross head, means on said anvil for supporting an article in a predetermined position, article backing portions formed at different levels on said anvil, a pair of knife holding plates mounted on said cross head, a plurality of knives mounted on one of said knife holding plates, a plurality of knives mounted on the other plate and extending through said one plate, and a spacer between said knife holding plates to hold the plates spaced a predetermined distance apart r and position the extending ends of the knives to correspond to the different levels of the article backing portions of the anvil.

6. In an article forming apparatus, a reciprocable cross head, a fixed anvil cooperating with said cross head, means on said anvil for supporting an article in a predetermined position, a pair of knife holding plates mounted on said cross head, a plurality of knives mounted on one of said knife holding plates, a plurality of knives mounted on the other plate and extending through said one plate, a spacer between said knife holding plates to hold the plates spaced a predetermined distance apart and thereby determine the relative amount the knives extend beyond the said one plate, and micrometrically adjustable means for limiting the movement of the cross head to prevent the knives from contacting with a part of the article.

EUGENE L. MALI-HUI. 

